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{{short description|Canadian ice hockey coach (born 1957)}}
{{distinguish|Mike Johnson (ice hockey)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2014}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2014}}
{{Infobox NHL coach
{{Infobox ice hockey biography
| name = Mike Johnston
| name = Mike Johnston
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|2|19}}
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|2|19}}
| birth_place = [[Dartmouth, Nova Scotia|Dartmouth]], [[Nova Scotia|NS]], [[Canada|CAN]]
| birth_place = [[Dartmouth, Nova Scotia|Dartmouth]], [[Nova Scotia]], Canada
| image = Mike Johnston 2014-12-13 2.JPG
| current position =[[Head coach]]
| image_size = 230px
| current team = [[Pittsburgh Penguins]]
| coached_for = [[Pittsburgh Penguins]](Head)<br />[[Vancouver Canucks]](Assistant)<br />[[Los Angeles Kings]](Associate)<br />[[UNB Varsity Reds]](Head)<br />[[Calgary Dinos]](Assistant)<br />[[Augustana University College]](Head)<br />[[Portland Winterhawks]](Head)
| previous team = [[Portland Winterhawks]], [[Vancouver Canucks]]
| career_start_coach = 1982
|years as a coach = 1980–present
| career_end_coach = 2024
|years as an NHL coach = 2014–present
}}
}}
'''Mike Johnston''' (born February 19, 1957) is the head coach of the [[Pittsburgh Penguins]] hockey team. Johnston had been coach and general manager of the [[Western Hockey League]]'s [[Portland Winterhawks]] since 2008-09. Before that he was an assistant coach for the [[Los Angeles Kings]] and the [[Vancouver Canucks]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Mike Johnston Named Head Coach|url=http://penguins.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=723848|publisher=Pittsburgh Penguins|accessdate=June 25, 2014}}</ref>
'''Mike Johnston''' (born February 19, 1957) is a [[Canadian]] [[ice hockey]] coach who currently serves as vice president and general manager of the [[Portland Winterhawks]] of the [[Western Hockey League]]. Johnston guided the Winterhawks to 5 WHL Finals appearances, including a championship in 2013.


After six historic seasons in [[Portland, Oregon|Portland]], Johnston was hired as the head coach of the [[Pittsburgh Penguins]] of the [[National Hockey League]] (NHL). He spent one plus season as the bench boss of the Penguins before returning to Portland in an elevated role as Head Coach and General Manager of the hockey club in 2016.
==Playing and Coaching Career==
Johnston played hockey for [[Brandon University]] and [[Acadia University]] and then became a coach at the age of 23. He at first coached [[Augustana University College]] in [[Alberta]] and then was an assistant coach at the [[University of Calgary]]. In 1989 he took over as head coach at the [[University of New Brunswick]], a job that lasted until 1994.
During Johnston's 13 years as the head coach in Portland, he helped 41 Winterhawks get drafted into the NHL, including nine players being selected in the first round. Before his tenure with Portland, he worked for Team Canada and spent nearly a decade as an assistant and associate coach with the [[Vancouver Canucks]] (1999–2006) and the [[Los Angeles Kings]] (2006–2008). [1] Currently he is a "[https://www.sportsmanagementworldwide.com/courses/hockey-player-development Hockey Player Development]" instructor for the online sports-career training school [[Sports Management Worldwide]], founded and run by [[Lynn Lashbrook|Dr. Lynn Lashbrook]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mike Johnston {{!}} SMWW Mentor {{!}} Blaine, Washington|url=https://www.sportsmanagementworldwide.com/users/mike-johnston|access-date=2020-12-08|website=www.sportsmanagementworldwide.com|language=en}}</ref>


==Coaching career==
In 1994 he became general manager and associate coach of the Canadian national men's hockey team. In 1998 he became the head coach for one season. He then spent six seasons as, at first, an assistant coach and then as an associate coach with the [[Vancouver Canucks]]. After that he was an associate coach of the [[Los Angeles Kings]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Mike Johnston profile at HockeyDB.com|url=http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?encode=TRUE&pid=29039|website=HockeyDB.com|accessdate=June 25, 2014}}</ref> He was the coach and general manager of the [[Portland Winterhawks]] of the [[Western_Hockey_League|WHL]] from 2008-2014 where he amassed a record of 231-114-10-10, landing him second on the Winterhawks' all-time wins list.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mike Johnston By The Numbers|url=http://www.winterhawks.com/article/mike-johnston-by-the-numbers|website=Portland Winterhawks|accessdate=June 25, 2014}}</ref>
Johnston initially started coaching at the College and University level in Canada. He coached college hockey in [[Alberta]] for five seasons<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=29039|title=Mike Johnston [ca.1987-2023] Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com|website=www.hockeydb.com}}</ref> before becoming the head coach of the [[University of New Brunswick]] from 1989 – 1994, winning two McAdam Division titles, and finishing with three first-place finishes and an overall record of 77–44–6.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kings.nhl.com/ext/07_preseason_guide.pdf |title=19130_pre season guide5_r1 |date= |access-date=2019-05-28}}</ref> He was named the 3M Coach of the Year in 1994 and won the Telegraph Journal Coach of the Year Award in 1993.


Internationally, Johnston worked for Team Canada for five seasons from 1994 to 1999 serving in the capacity of general manager and associate coach and finally head coach for the 1998–1999 season,<ref name="hockeycanada.ca">{{cite web|url=https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/news/2009-nr-025-en|title=Mike Johnston Named Head Coach of Canada's National Men's Under-18 Team for 2009 IIHF World Under-18 Championship; Spott and Lavigne Named Assistant Coaches|website=www.hockeycanada.ca}}</ref> and was an assistant coach at the [[1998 Winter Olympics|1998 Winter Olympic Games]] in Nagano, Japan. In addition to the championships at the senior level, Johnston won three gold medals as head coach for Canada at the Spengler Cup Tournament and two World Junior Championships as an assistant coach in 1994 and 1995.<ref name="hockeycanada.ca"/>
Besides all this, Johnston has extensive experience in international play. He won the gold medal at the 1997 and the 2007 World Championships. He also won the silver in 1996 and the bronze in 1995. In 1994 and 1995 Johnston won the gold at the [[World Junior Ice Hockey Championships]].


In 1994 he became general manager and associate coach of the Canadian national men's hockey team. In 1998 he became the head coach for one season. He then spent six seasons as, at first, an assistant coach and then as an associate coach with the [[Vancouver Canucks]]. During Johnston's time in Vancouver, the Canucks made four straight trips to the postseason and won the Northwest Division in 2003–2004. After that, he was an associate coach of the [[Los Angeles Kings]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Mike Johnston profile at HockeyDB.com|url=http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?encode=TRUE&pid=29039|website=HockeyDB.com|access-date=June 25, 2014}}</ref>
==Suspension==
After an investigation by the [[Canadian Hockey League]], Johnston was suspended by the [[Western Hockey League]] for the duration of the [[2012–13 WHL season]], after it was revealed he offered improper player benefits and committed various recruitment violations over a four year period. Some of the noted improper benefits Johnston offered to Winterhawk players included paying for their families to come to Portland multiple times during the season by subsidizing travel costs to the city, financing private summer training programs and providing cellular telephones to the team captains. As a result of the violations, Johnston was forced to hand over his general manager and head coaching positions to assistant coach [[Travis Green]], who would guide the club to the [[Ed Chynoweth Cup]]. As a punishment for violating league rules, the team was forced to forfeit the first five rounds of the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft, along with their first round draft picks until 2017. The investigation into Johnston's conduct came months after the [[Ontario Hockey League]]'s [[Windsor Spitfires]] were fined for improper player benefits and recruitment violations. Johnston's suspension was lifted at the end of the season.<ref>{{cite web|title=Winterhawks punished for violations|url=http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/whl-portland-winterhawks-player-benefit-violations-coach-gm-mike-johnston-suspended-team-fined-player-112812|website=foxsports.com|accessdate=July 14, 2014}}</ref>


===Portland Winterhawks(2008-2014)===
==NHL Coaching record==

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center; width: 52em;"
In October 27, 2008, Johnston was named head coach and general manager of the [[Portland Winterhawks]] of the [[Western Hockey League|WHL]] where he served in the dual roles from 2008 to 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |date=October 27, 2008 |title=Winter Hawks Sold
|url=https://chl.ca/whl-wheatkings/winter-hawks-sold/}}</ref> He amassed a record of 231–114–10–10, landing him second on the Winterhawks' all-time wins list.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mike Johnston By The Numbers|url=http://www.winterhawks.com/article/mike-johnston-by-the-numbers|website=Portland Winterhawks|access-date=June 25, 2014}}</ref>

In his second season with the Hawks in 2009–10, Johnston guided the team to a 48-point improvement from the prior season, a franchise record, and an appearance in the second round of the playoffs. The Winterhawks topped the 100-point barrier in 2010–11 with 103 points, a U.S. Division title and then their first of four straight trips to the WHL championship series.<ref name="winterhawks.com">{{cite web|url=http://winterhawks.com/article/mike-johnston-returns-as-vice-president-general-manager-head-coach|title=Mike Johnston Returns As Vice President, General Manager & Head Coach – Portland Winterhawks|website=winterhawks.com|date=December 7, 2023 }}</ref>

After 102 points in 2011–12, they advanced to the WHL championship and the first of their three straight WHL Finals series against the Edmonton Oil Kings. In 2012–13 the Winterhawks had their greatest season in team history, with franchise records of 57 wins and 117 points, and a league record 29 road wins, as they won the third WHL championship in franchise history and advanced to the final of the 2013 [[Memorial Cup]]. In 2013–14 the Winterhawks set another franchise record under Johnston, with a 21-game winning streak as they amassed 113 points and their fourth consecutive trip to the championship series.<ref name="winterhawks.com"/>

===Suspension===
After an investigation by the [[Canadian Hockey League]], Johnston was suspended by the [[Western Hockey League]] for the duration of the [[2012–13 WHL season]], after it was revealed he offered improper player benefits and committed various recruitment violations over a four-year period. Some of the noted improper benefits Johnston offered to Winterhawk players included paying for their families to come to Portland multiple times during the season by subsidizing travel costs to the city, financing private summer training programs and providing cellular telephones to the team captains. As a result of the violations, Johnston was forced to hand over his general manager and head coaching positions to assistant coach [[Travis Green]], who would guide the club to the [[Ed Chynoweth Cup]]. As a punishment for violating league rules, the team was forced to forfeit the first five rounds of the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft, along with their first round draft picks until 2017. The investigation into Johnston's conduct came months after the [[Ontario Hockey League]]'s [[Windsor Spitfires]] were fined for improper player benefits and recruitment violations. Johnston's suspension was lifted at the end of the season.<ref>{{cite web|title=Winterhawks punished for violations|url=http://msn.foxsports.com/nhl/story/whl-portland-winterhawks-player-benefit-violations-coach-gm-mike-johnston-suspended-team-fined-player-112812|website=foxsports.com|access-date=July 14, 2014}}</ref>

===Pittsburgh Penguins(2014-2015)===
Johnston was hired as the head coach of the [[Pittsburgh Penguins]] on June 25, 2014. During the 2014–15 season, the Penguins stormed out of the gate to a 22–6–4 record, but as injuries started to mount, Pittsburgh began to struggle and finished the season eighth in the Eastern Conference,<ref name="cbssports.com">{{cite web|url=https://www.cbssports.com/nhl/news/penguins-fire-coach-mike-johnston-name-mike-sullivan-replacement/|title=Penguins fire coach Mike Johnston, name Mike Sullivan replacement|date=December 12, 2015 |publisher=}}</ref> nearly breaking their postseason appearance streak at 8 consecutive playoff qualifications. The Penguins would be eliminated in the first-round of the playoffs by the [[New York Rangers]].

In his second season with Pittsburgh, the Penguins started the 2015–16 season 15–10–3, and Johnston was fired on December 12, 2015. In a team statement announcing the firing, general manager Jim Rutherford stated that he felt the team was "underachieving".<ref>{{cite web|last=Gretz |first=Adam |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nhl/news/penguins-fire-coach-mike-johnston-name-mike-sullivan-replacement/ |title=Penguins fire coach Mike Johnston, name Mike Sullivan replacement |publisher=CBSSports.com |date=2015-12-12 |access-date=2019-05-28}}</ref>

Johnston's combined record with the Penguins was 58–37–15.<ref>{{cite web|last=Hall |first=Jordan |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/philadelphia-flyers/penguins-fire-coach-mike-johnston-mike-sullivan-takes-over |title=Penguins fire coach Mike Johnston; Mike Sullivan takes over &#124; NBC Sports Philadelphia |publisher=Nbcsports.com |date=2015-12-12 |access-date=2019-05-28}}</ref>

===Portland Winterhawks(2016-2024)===
Johnston once again returned to the Winterhawks for the 2016–17 season, this time serving as the hockeys clubs head coach, general manager and vice president after having been released by the [[Pittsburgh Penguins]] midway through the 2015-2016 season.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 11, 2016 |title=Mike Johnston Returns As Vice President, General Manager & Head Coach
|url=https://chl.ca/whl-winterhawks/mike-johnston-returns-as-vice-president-general-manager-head-coach/}}</ref> In his first year back with the Winterhawks, Portland amassed 40 wins for the seventh time in eight seasons earning Johnston the Western Conference Coach of the Year award <ref>{{cite web|title=Cody Glass Named First-Team All-Star; Mike Johnston Western Conference Coach of the Year|url=https://chl.ca/whl-winterhawks/article/cody-glass-named-first-team-all-star-mike-johnston-western-conference-coach-of-the-year/|website=Portland Winterhawks|access-date=March 22, 2017}}</ref>

On October 6, 2023, Johnston secured his 500th WHL win in a 4-1 victory over the Everett Silvertips in Portland making him the 11th coach in WHL history to achieve the milestone.<ref>{{cite web|title=Winterhawks Head Coach Mike Johnston reaches 500 WHL wins
|url=https://chl.ca/whl-winterhawks/article/winterhawks-head-coach-mike-johnston-reaches-500-whl-wins/|website=Portland Winterhawks|access-date=October 6, 2023}}</ref> Johnston led the Winterhawks to 48-15-0 record for the 2023-24 season and advanced to the WHL championship where they were swept by the [[Moose Jaw Warriors]] 4-0. Following their 48-win campaign, Johnston was named U.S. Division Executive of the Year and the U.S. Division WHL Coach of the Year, making him a finalist for the [[Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy]] and the [[Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Mike Johnston named U.S. Division Coach & Executive of the Year|url=https://chl.ca/whl-winterhawks/article/mike-johnston-named-u-s-division-coach-executive-of-the-year/|website=Portland Winterhawks|access-date=April 3, 2024}}</ref>

On July 22nd, 2024, Mike Johnston announced he would be stepping down as head coach to focus on his front office duties as the hockey club's vice president and general manager.<ref>{{cite web|title=Portland Winterhawks’ Mike Johnston steps down as head coach, will focus on front office duties
|url=https://www.oregonlive.com/hockey/2024/07/portland-winterhawks-mike-johnston-steps-down-as-head-coach-will-focus-on-front-office-duties.html|website=Oregon Live|access-date=July 22, 2024}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Johnston played hockey for [[Brandon University]] in Manitoba and [[Acadia University]] in Nova Scotia, and holds a master's degree in Coaching Science from Acadia University.

Johnston and his wife Myrna have two children, Gabby and Adam, who serves as a scout for the Portland Winterhawks.

Johnston is the uncle of professional hockey players, [[Ryan Johnston (ice hockey)|Ryan Johnston]] and [[Rebecca Johnston]].

==Awards and achievements==
*[[Spengler Cup]] Gold Medal – 1993
*[[IIHF World Junior Championship]] Gold Medal- 1994, 1995
*[[IIHF World Championships]] Bronze Medal – 1995
*[[IIHF World Championships]] Silver Medal – 1996
*[[Spengler Cup]] Gold Medal – 1993, 1997, 1998
*[[IIHF World Championships]] Gold Medal – 1996, 1997, 2007
*[[IIHF World Championships]] Silver Medal- 2008
*[[Ed Chynoweth Cup|President's Cup/Ed Chynoweth Cup]] – 2013 <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.eliteprospects.com/staff/1830/mike-johnston|title=Elite Prospects – Mike Johnston Team Staff Profile|website=www.eliteprospects.com}}</ref>

==Books==
Johnston has authored three books with former NHL player [[Ryan Walter]]: ''Simply the Best: Insights and Strategies from the Great Hockey Coaches'', ''Simply the Best: Players on Performance'', and ''Hockey Plays and Strategies''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://issuu.com/pittsburghpenguins/docs/it_wk014_bos|title=IceTime – Game 23 vs. Boston Bruins 1/7/15|date=January 7, 2015 |publisher=}}</ref>

==WHL coaching record==
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center;"
|-
|-
! rowspan="2"|Team !! rowspan="2"|Year !! colspan="6"|Regular season !!|Post season
! rowspan="2" | Team
! rowspan="2" | Year
! colspan="6" | [[Regular season]]
! colspan="4" | [[Post season]]
|-
|-
! G !! W !! L !! OTL !! Pts !! Finish
! G !! W !! L !! OTL !! Pts !!Finish !! Result
! G !! W !! L !! Result
|- ! style="background:#FFFFFF;"
![[Pittsburgh Penguins|PIT]]||[[2014–15 NHL season|2014–2015]]
|10||7||2||1||11||
|-
|-
![[Portland Winterhawks|POR]]||[[2008–09 WHL season|2008–09]]
![[Pittsburgh Penguins|PIT]]||Total
|72||19||48||5||43||5th in U.S. Division|| Did not qualify
|-
!POR||[[2009–10 WHL season|2009–10]]
|72||44||25||3||91||4th in U.S. Division|| Lost in round 2
|-
!POR||[[2010–11 WHL season|2010–11]]
|72||50||19||3||103||1st in U.S. Division|| Lost in finals
|-
!POR||[[2011–12 WHL season|2011–12]]
|72||49||19||4||102||2nd in U.S. Division|| Lost in finals
|-
!POR||[[2012–13 WHL season|2012–13]]
|25||20||4||1||41||(replaced mid-season)||
|-
!POR||[[2013–14 WHL season|2013–14]]
|72||54||13||5||113||1st in U.S. Division|| Lost in finals
|-
!POR||[[2016–17 WHL season|2016–17]]
|72||40||28||4||84||4th in U.S. Division|| Lost in round 2
|-
!POR||[[2017–18 WHL season|2017–18]]
|72||44||22||6||94||2nd in U.S. Division|| Lost in round 2
|-
!POR||[[2018–19 WHL season|2018–19]]
|68||40||22||6||86||3rd in U.S. Division|| Lost in round 1
|-
!POR||[[2019–20 WHL season|2019–20]]
|63||45||11||7||94||1st in U.S. Division|| ''Season cancelled due to [[COVID-19 pandemic]]''
|-
!POR||[[2020–21 WHL season|2020–21]]
|24||13||8||3||29||no standings{{efn|name=2020-21}}||no playoffs{{efn|name=2020-21|The [[2020–21 WHL season|2020–21 WHL regular season]] was shortened, started late, then was cancelled early, and no playoffs were held, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Portland Winterhawks were in a mathematical position to finish anywhere from 1st to 3rd in the U.S. Division when the season was cancelled.}}
|-
!POR||[[2021–22 WHL season|2021–22]]
|68||47||16||5||99||2nd in U.S. Division|| Lost in round 2
|-
!POR||[[2022–23 WHL season|2022–23]]
|68||40||20||8||88||2nd in U.S. Division|| Lost in round 2
|-
!POR||[[2023–24 WHL season|2023–24]]
|68||48||15||5||101||1st in U.S. Division|| Lost in finals
|-
! colspan="2"|Total ||820||513||252||57||1080|| ||
|}


==NHL coaching record==
!10!!7!!2!!1!!11!!!!0!!0!!0
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center;"
! colspan="5"|
|-
! rowspan="2"|Team !! rowspan="2"|Year !! colspan="6"|Regular season !!|Post season
|-
! G !! W !! L !! OTL !! Pts !!Finish !! Result
|-
![[Pittsburgh Penguins|PIT]]||[[2014–15 NHL season|2014–15]]
|82||43||27||12||98||4th in Metropolitan|| Lost in first round ([[New York Rangers|NYR]])
|-
!PIT||[[2015–16 NHL season|2015–16]]
|28||15||10||3||33||(fired)|| —
|-
! colspan="2"|Total ||110||58||37||15||131|| ||
|}
|}

==International coaching record==
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="1"|Team !! rowspan="1"|Year !! rowspan="1"|Position !! rowspan="1"|Result
|-
![[Spengler Cup]]||[[Spengler Cup|1992]]
|Head coach||Gold medal
|-
![[IIHF World U20 Championship]]||[[IIHF World U20 Championship|1994]]
|Assistant coach||Gold medal
|-
![[IIHF World U20 Championship]]||[[IIHF World U20 Championship|1995]]
|Assistant coach||Gold medal
|-
![[Ice Hockey World Championships]]||[[Ice Hockey World Championships|1995]]
|Assistant coach||Bronze medal
|-
![[Ice Hockey World Championships]]||[[Ice Hockey World Championships|1996]]
|Assistant coach||Silver medal
|-
![[Ice Hockey World Championships]]||[[Ice Hockey World Championships|1997]]
|Assistant coach||Gold medal
|-
![[Spengler Cup]]||[[Spengler Cup|1997]]
|Assistant coach||Gold medal
|-
![[Spengler Cup]]||[[Spengler Cup|1997]]
|Head coach||Gold medal
|-
![[Canada at the 1998 Winter Olympics]]||[[Ice hockey at the 1998 Winter Olympics|1998]]
|Assistant coach||4th place
|-
![[Ice Hockey World Championships]]||[[Ice Hockey World Championships|1998]]
|Associate Coach||
|-
![[Ice Hockey World Championships]]||[[Ice Hockey World Championships|1999]]
|Associate Coach||4th place
|-
![[Ice Hockey World Championships]]||[[Ice Hockey World Championships|2007]]
|Associate Coach||Gold medal
|-
![[Ice Hockey World Championships]]||[[Ice Hockey World Championships|2008]]
|Associate Coach||Silver medal
|-
![[IIHF World U18 Championship]]||[[IIHF World U18 Championship|2009]]
|Head coach||4th place
|}

==University head coaching record==
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align:center;"
|-
! rowspan="2"|Team !! rowspan="2"|Year !! colspan="5"|Regular season
|-
! W !! L !! OTL !! Result
|-
![[Augustana University College|ACAC]]||1982–83
|12||12|||| 3rd place
|-
![[Augustana University College|ACAC]]||1983–84
|15||10||||3rd place
|-
![[Augustana University College|ACAC]]||1984–85
|14||11|||| 3rd place
|-
![[Augustana University College|ACAC]]||1985–86
|14||9||2||| 3rd place
|-
![[Augustana University College|ACAC]]||1986–87
|14||10||1||| 4th place National Championship
|-
![[University of New Brunswick]]||1989–1990
|10||8||2||| 3rd place
|-
![[University of New Brunswick]]||1990–91
|12||11||3||| 3rd place
|-
![[University of New Brunswick]]||1991–92
|18||7||1||| 1st place Division finalist
|-
![[University of New Brunswick]]||1992–93
|18||7||1||| 1st place MacAdam Division Champions AUAA Conference Finalist
|-
![[University of New Brunswick]]||1993–94
|18||6||2||| 1st place MacAdam Division Champions AUAA Conference Finalist
|-
|}

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{icehockeystats}}


{{s-start}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Dan Bylsma]]}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Dan Bylsma]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of Pittsburgh Penguins head coaches|Head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins]]|years=2014–present}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[List of Pittsburgh Penguins head coaches|Head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins]]|years=2014–2015}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Mike Sullivan (ice hockey)|Mike Sullivan]]}}
{{s-inc}}
{{s-end}}
{{s-end}}


{{Authority control}}
==References==

{{reflist}}
{{PensCoach}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnston, Mike}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johnston, Mike}}
[[Category:1957 births]]
[[Category:1957 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Canada men's national ice hockey team coaches]]
[[Category:Ice hockey people from Nova Scotia]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Kings coaches]]
[[Category:Los Angeles Kings coaches]]
[[Category:People from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Penguins coaches]]
[[Category:Pittsburgh Penguins coaches]]
[[Category:Portland Winterhawks coaches]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Dartmouth, Nova Scotia]]
[[Category:Vancouver Canucks coaches]]
[[Category:Vancouver Canucks coaches]]
[[Category:UNB Reds men's ice hockey coaches]]

Latest revision as of 16:11, 29 October 2024

Not to be confused with Mike Johnson (ice hockey).

Mike Johnston
Born (1957-02-19) February 19, 1957 (age 67)
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
Coached for Pittsburgh Penguins(Head)
Vancouver Canucks(Assistant)
Los Angeles Kings(Associate)
UNB Varsity Reds(Head)
Calgary Dinos(Assistant)
Augustana University College(Head)
Portland Winterhawks(Head)
Coaching career 1982–2024

Mike Johnston (born February 19, 1957) is a Canadian ice hockey coach who currently serves as vice president and general manager of the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League. Johnston guided the Winterhawks to 5 WHL Finals appearances, including a championship in 2013.

After six historic seasons in Portland, Johnston was hired as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He spent one plus season as the bench boss of the Penguins before returning to Portland in an elevated role as Head Coach and General Manager of the hockey club in 2016.

During Johnston's 13 years as the head coach in Portland, he helped 41 Winterhawks get drafted into the NHL, including nine players being selected in the first round. Before his tenure with Portland, he worked for Team Canada and spent nearly a decade as an assistant and associate coach with the Vancouver Canucks (1999–2006) and the Los Angeles Kings (2006–2008). [1] Currently he is a "Hockey Player Development" instructor for the online sports-career training school Sports Management Worldwide, founded and run by Dr. Lynn Lashbrook.[1]

Coaching career

[edit]

Johnston initially started coaching at the College and University level in Canada. He coached college hockey in Alberta for five seasons[2] before becoming the head coach of the University of New Brunswick from 1989 – 1994, winning two McAdam Division titles, and finishing with three first-place finishes and an overall record of 77–44–6.[3] He was named the 3M Coach of the Year in 1994 and won the Telegraph Journal Coach of the Year Award in 1993.

Internationally, Johnston worked for Team Canada for five seasons from 1994 to 1999 serving in the capacity of general manager and associate coach and finally head coach for the 1998–1999 season,[4] and was an assistant coach at the 1998 Winter Olympic Games in Nagano, Japan. In addition to the championships at the senior level, Johnston won three gold medals as head coach for Canada at the Spengler Cup Tournament and two World Junior Championships as an assistant coach in 1994 and 1995.[4]

In 1994 he became general manager and associate coach of the Canadian national men's hockey team. In 1998 he became the head coach for one season. He then spent six seasons as, at first, an assistant coach and then as an associate coach with the Vancouver Canucks. During Johnston's time in Vancouver, the Canucks made four straight trips to the postseason and won the Northwest Division in 2003–2004. After that, he was an associate coach of the Los Angeles Kings.[5]

Portland Winterhawks(2008-2014)

[edit]

In October 27, 2008, Johnston was named head coach and general manager of the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL where he served in the dual roles from 2008 to 2014.[6] He amassed a record of 231–114–10–10, landing him second on the Winterhawks' all-time wins list.[7]

In his second season with the Hawks in 2009–10, Johnston guided the team to a 48-point improvement from the prior season, a franchise record, and an appearance in the second round of the playoffs. The Winterhawks topped the 100-point barrier in 2010–11 with 103 points, a U.S. Division title and then their first of four straight trips to the WHL championship series.[8]

After 102 points in 2011–12, they advanced to the WHL championship and the first of their three straight WHL Finals series against the Edmonton Oil Kings. In 2012–13 the Winterhawks had their greatest season in team history, with franchise records of 57 wins and 117 points, and a league record 29 road wins, as they won the third WHL championship in franchise history and advanced to the final of the 2013 Memorial Cup. In 2013–14 the Winterhawks set another franchise record under Johnston, with a 21-game winning streak as they amassed 113 points and their fourth consecutive trip to the championship series.[8]

Suspension

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After an investigation by the Canadian Hockey League, Johnston was suspended by the Western Hockey League for the duration of the 2012–13 WHL season, after it was revealed he offered improper player benefits and committed various recruitment violations over a four-year period. Some of the noted improper benefits Johnston offered to Winterhawk players included paying for their families to come to Portland multiple times during the season by subsidizing travel costs to the city, financing private summer training programs and providing cellular telephones to the team captains. As a result of the violations, Johnston was forced to hand over his general manager and head coaching positions to assistant coach Travis Green, who would guide the club to the Ed Chynoweth Cup. As a punishment for violating league rules, the team was forced to forfeit the first five rounds of the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft, along with their first round draft picks until 2017. The investigation into Johnston's conduct came months after the Ontario Hockey League's Windsor Spitfires were fined for improper player benefits and recruitment violations. Johnston's suspension was lifted at the end of the season.[9]

Pittsburgh Penguins(2014-2015)

[edit]

Johnston was hired as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins on June 25, 2014. During the 2014–15 season, the Penguins stormed out of the gate to a 22–6–4 record, but as injuries started to mount, Pittsburgh began to struggle and finished the season eighth in the Eastern Conference,[10] nearly breaking their postseason appearance streak at 8 consecutive playoff qualifications. The Penguins would be eliminated in the first-round of the playoffs by the New York Rangers.

In his second season with Pittsburgh, the Penguins started the 2015–16 season 15–10–3, and Johnston was fired on December 12, 2015. In a team statement announcing the firing, general manager Jim Rutherford stated that he felt the team was "underachieving".[11]

Johnston's combined record with the Penguins was 58–37–15.[12]

Portland Winterhawks(2016-2024)

[edit]

Johnston once again returned to the Winterhawks for the 2016–17 season, this time serving as the hockeys clubs head coach, general manager and vice president after having been released by the Pittsburgh Penguins midway through the 2015-2016 season.[13] In his first year back with the Winterhawks, Portland amassed 40 wins for the seventh time in eight seasons earning Johnston the Western Conference Coach of the Year award [14]

On October 6, 2023, Johnston secured his 500th WHL win in a 4-1 victory over the Everett Silvertips in Portland making him the 11th coach in WHL history to achieve the milestone.[15] Johnston led the Winterhawks to 48-15-0 record for the 2023-24 season and advanced to the WHL championship where they were swept by the Moose Jaw Warriors 4-0. Following their 48-win campaign, Johnston was named U.S. Division Executive of the Year and the U.S. Division WHL Coach of the Year, making him a finalist for the Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy and the Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy.[16]

On July 22nd, 2024, Mike Johnston announced he would be stepping down as head coach to focus on his front office duties as the hockey club's vice president and general manager.[17]

Personal life

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Johnston played hockey for Brandon University in Manitoba and Acadia University in Nova Scotia, and holds a master's degree in Coaching Science from Acadia University.

Johnston and his wife Myrna have two children, Gabby and Adam, who serves as a scout for the Portland Winterhawks.

Johnston is the uncle of professional hockey players, Ryan Johnston and Rebecca Johnston.

Awards and achievements

[edit]

Books

[edit]

Johnston has authored three books with former NHL player Ryan Walter: Simply the Best: Insights and Strategies from the Great Hockey Coaches, Simply the Best: Players on Performance, and Hockey Plays and Strategies.[19]

WHL coaching record

[edit]
Team Year Regular season Post season
G W L OTL Pts Finish Result
POR 2008–09 72 19 48 5 43 5th in U.S. Division Did not qualify
POR 2009–10 72 44 25 3 91 4th in U.S. Division Lost in round 2
POR 2010–11 72 50 19 3 103 1st in U.S. Division Lost in finals
POR 2011–12 72 49 19 4 102 2nd in U.S. Division Lost in finals
POR 2012–13 25 20 4 1 41 (replaced mid-season)
POR 2013–14 72 54 13 5 113 1st in U.S. Division Lost in finals
POR 2016–17 72 40 28 4 84 4th in U.S. Division Lost in round 2
POR 2017–18 72 44 22 6 94 2nd in U.S. Division Lost in round 2
POR 2018–19 68 40 22 6 86 3rd in U.S. Division Lost in round 1
POR 2019–20 63 45 11 7 94 1st in U.S. Division Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
POR 2020–21 24 13 8 3 29 no standings[a] no playoffs[a]
POR 2021–22 68 47 16 5 99 2nd in U.S. Division Lost in round 2
POR 2022–23 68 40 20 8 88 2nd in U.S. Division Lost in round 2
POR 2023–24 68 48 15 5 101 1st in U.S. Division Lost in finals
Total 820 513 252 57 1080

NHL coaching record

[edit]
Team Year Regular season Post season
G W L OTL Pts Finish Result
PIT 2014–15 82 43 27 12 98 4th in Metropolitan Lost in first round (NYR)
PIT 2015–16 28 15 10 3 33 (fired) —
Total 110 58 37 15 131

International coaching record

[edit]
Team Year Position Result
Spengler Cup 1992 Head coach Gold medal
IIHF World U20 Championship 1994 Assistant coach Gold medal
IIHF World U20 Championship 1995 Assistant coach Gold medal
Ice Hockey World Championships 1995 Assistant coach Bronze medal
Ice Hockey World Championships 1996 Assistant coach Silver medal
Ice Hockey World Championships 1997 Assistant coach Gold medal
Spengler Cup 1997 Assistant coach Gold medal
Spengler Cup 1997 Head coach Gold medal
Canada at the 1998 Winter Olympics 1998 Assistant coach 4th place
Ice Hockey World Championships 1998 Associate Coach
Ice Hockey World Championships 1999 Associate Coach 4th place
Ice Hockey World Championships 2007 Associate Coach Gold medal
Ice Hockey World Championships 2008 Associate Coach Silver medal
IIHF World U18 Championship 2009 Head coach 4th place

University head coaching record

[edit]
Team Year Regular season
W L OTL Result
ACAC 1982–83 12 12 3rd place
ACAC 1983–84 15 10 3rd place
ACAC 1984–85 14 11 3rd place
ACAC 1985–86 14 9 2 3rd place
ACAC 1986–87 14 10 1 4th place National Championship
University of New Brunswick 1989–1990 10 8 2 3rd place
University of New Brunswick 1990–91 12 11 3 3rd place
University of New Brunswick 1991–92 18 7 1 1st place Division finalist
University of New Brunswick 1992–93 18 7 1 1st place MacAdam Division Champions AUAA Conference Finalist
University of New Brunswick 1993–94 18 6 2 1st place MacAdam Division Champions AUAA Conference Finalist

Notes

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  1. ^ a b The 2020–21 WHL regular season was shortened, started late, then was cancelled early, and no playoffs were held, due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Portland Winterhawks were in a mathematical position to finish anywhere from 1st to 3rd in the U.S. Division when the season was cancelled.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Mike Johnston | SMWW Mentor | Blaine, Washington". www.sportsmanagementworldwide.com. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  2. ^ "Mike Johnston [ca.1987-2023] Hockey Stats and Profile at hockeydb.com". www.hockeydb.com.
  3. ^ "19130_pre season guide5_r1" (PDF). Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  4. ^ a b "Mike Johnston Named Head Coach of Canada's National Men's Under-18 Team for 2009 IIHF World Under-18 Championship; Spott and Lavigne Named Assistant Coaches". www.hockeycanada.ca.
  5. ^ "Mike Johnston profile at HockeyDB.com". HockeyDB.com. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
  6. ^ "Winter Hawks Sold". October 27, 2008.
  7. ^ "Mike Johnston By The Numbers". Portland Winterhawks. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
  8. ^ a b "Mike Johnston Returns As Vice President, General Manager & Head Coach – Portland Winterhawks". winterhawks.com. December 7, 2023.
  9. ^ "Winterhawks punished for violations". foxsports.com. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
  10. ^ "Penguins fire coach Mike Johnston, name Mike Sullivan replacement". December 12, 2015.
  11. ^ Gretz, Adam (December 12, 2015). "Penguins fire coach Mike Johnston, name Mike Sullivan replacement". CBSSports.com. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  12. ^ Hall, Jordan (December 12, 2015). "Penguins fire coach Mike Johnston; Mike Sullivan takes over | NBC Sports Philadelphia". Nbcsports.com. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  13. ^ "Mike Johnston Returns As Vice President, General Manager & Head Coach". May 11, 2016.
  14. ^ "Cody Glass Named First-Team All-Star; Mike Johnston Western Conference Coach of the Year". Portland Winterhawks. Retrieved March 22, 2017.
  15. ^ "Winterhawks Head Coach Mike Johnston reaches 500 WHL wins". Portland Winterhawks. Retrieved October 6, 2023.
  16. ^ "Mike Johnston named U.S. Division Coach & Executive of the Year". Portland Winterhawks. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  17. ^ "Portland Winterhawks' Mike Johnston steps down as head coach, will focus on front office duties". Oregon Live. Retrieved July 22, 2024.
  18. ^ "Elite Prospects – Mike Johnston Team Staff Profile". www.eliteprospects.com.
  19. ^ "IceTime – Game 23 vs. Boston Bruins 1/7/15". January 7, 2015.
[edit]
Preceded by Head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins
2014–2015 		Succeeded by
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